Facing Consequences
by LordoftheTogas
Summary: Alex is sick of MI6, and wants out. He is prepared to walk out no matter what the consequences are.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:I had an idea in my mind, and decided to put it down on paper. It's a small AR one shot set around Crocodile Tears. Sorry if it's OOC, it has been a while since I have read an Alex Rider book. Review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Alex Rider series**

* * *

-Facing the Consequences-

Alex Rider was sick of Alan Blunt. Of MI6. Sick of the world. But mostly Blunt. Because he had used him so many times, leaving himself battered and bruised. He had been almost killed more times than he could count, and was left with the mental images no young person should have to bear. Sure he had saved the world from insane masterminds, and plots to destroy the world, but that wasn't the point. The point was, Alex couldn't stand another second of it. He wanted out. Even he knew it wasn't that simple, but only one thing was on Alex's mind at the moment: To leave the British Secret Service once and for all.

So here he was, in front of Mr. Blunt's desk trying to get out of yet another mission. He looked at the man's expressionless face, and spoke. "I won't do it. I am fed up with you, all of you. I don't care what you think. I didn't sign up for this."

It was at this moment that Blunt chose to speak."Alex, Ian Rider trained you for this all your life. You agreed to this, no one chose this but you. Compared to the past missions, this one is a vacation. I'd expect you to-"

"I didn't choose this!" Alex interjected. "I was trained without even knowing it. I was kept in the dark about my own family, until you showed up into my life!"

Alan, still wearing an expressionless mask, replied. "I can understand how confusing things must be for you, but the fact remains that every time we needed you, Alex, you showed up. Besides, there is a man who met your father, and he could tell you more about him. If you so choose."

"There it is again!" Alex exclaimed. "You're baiting me. It always happens, and it is getting old Blunt, so find some new material!"

"Need I remind you that your guardian, Jack is only still in England because we allow her to. We could-"

Alex interrupted Blunt once again. "Stop! You are wasting my time. I don't care if you deport her back to America. I'll live on the streets if I have to!"

"Yes, but remember, it is us who are the only ones protecting you from past enemies that would do anything for a taste of revenge. If not for us, you may have died years ago. There are enemies of your father who might still like to take a stab at you, just for the petty satisfaction that even though they couldn't get John himself, they still picked off his only heir."

"I wish I had been killed. Maybe then I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. Anyway, no matter what you say, I can't agree. I'll take my chances with the world. Anything is better than this." Alex said.

Alex stood up from his chair. He said to Blunt, "Goodbye, Alan. I am leaving and you have two choices. Either kill me, or let me go." He turned around, and almost in slow motion, walked toward the door of the office.

"Alex, if you walk out this door right now, you better be ready to face the consequences, because you will be hunted to the ends of the earth by your enemies." For once Alan lost his cool. "Think about just what you are doing, don't be so rash." But Alex wasn't listening. "Alex, dammit, don't you understa-"

With a slam, the door was shut, and Blunt was left in the silence of his office again.

Alex walked down the hall and through the doors without looking once. But when he stepped out onto the busy street, he couldn't resist one quick glance behind him. And at that moment was when the seriousness of the situation hit him. He was alone and vulnerable, and he would have to face the consequences. Alex didn't know just how big they were, but he did not care. Walking down the street, he knew one thing: he was willing to pay the price. Whatever it was.

* * *

**A/N:Also, I want to eventually develop this into a multichapter story, so review telling me if you would like me to**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:Thank you to all those who reviewed, Favorited, or followed this story! Here is chapter two for you.****  
**

* * *

-Chapter Two-

Five years after Alex stormed out of his office, Alan Blunt sat in his chair thinking about Alex Rider. About what he had done to the boy. In fact, as he sat in the chair of his office, he started contemplating what all the people he had sent out to be killed just for some information went through. What felt like the first time ever, Alan Blunt dropped the emotionless mask that always was set upon his face. Sighing, he goes back to work.

Sending several reports to various employees, Alan lets his face fall out of place in the serene safety of his office. Just then, Mrs. Jones walks into the room, and Blunt quickly resets his emotionless façade. This display does not go unnoticed by Mrs. Jones, but she does not comment.

Mrs. Jones broke the silence. "We have just been informed that several of our operatives were killed gathering Intel on the weapon smuggling scheme in Southern Sudan. "

Blunt took this in with a small stab of guilt, very unusual of him. "Continue." He told her.

"The people suspected nothing, and so have no reason to be suspicious. They killed the agents, because there were to be no witnesses. All is going well."

"That is very fortunate on our part." Blunt replied, although he felt a little bad inside. "Any report on the location of Mr. Rider?" Blunt asked.

"He was last seen with Yassen Gregorovich in the South of France." Mrs. Jones stated. "Yassen was tracked into northern Spain, and has been there for the past few months." She added.

"Good." Alan planned on talking to him. "Organize the preparation of my jet, will you Mrs. Jones? I'd like to pay Mr. Gregorovich a visit."

"Are you sure that's a wise idea Alan?" Mrs. Jones asked carefully. "I don't believe Yassen would take it kindly of you showing up at his doorstep."

"Make the preparations, Mrs. Jones." Blunt told her sternly.

* * *

"You must have a death wish showing up at my place, Mr. Blunt, that I can assure you of." Yassen yanked Alan inside and slammed shut the reinforced doors of his fourth favorite safehouse. "I know what this is about, and I have to tell you that Rider is a lost cause now." Yassen said, straight to the point. "He has gone mad thinking he can survive on his own."

"Mr. Gregorovich, I do know what is happening to Alex. I have some agents on his tail, in case the enemy tries something. Which brings me to my other question." Alan continues. "What do you know of our mystery man?"

"His name is Wolfram Astoroth." Yassen explained. "He set up the organization that John and I both took down from the inside. The explosion from the building destroyed his home town."

"We have recently received files that Mr. Wolfram lost to the Egyptian Secret Service." Blunt said. "What do you make of it?"

"I don't believe it for a second. Astoroth let the files be taken. And the fact that they are now in your hands proves my theory even further." He paused for a second, to let it sink in. When Blunt did not reply, he continued.

"I think we are looking at a hostage situation. A simple trade. Alex's life, for the files. But there has to be something more to this." Yassen said.

Blunt finally replied. "I agree, but if we approach him suddenly he could grow suspicious and set him over the edge." Alan thought for a moment.

"The only thing we can do right now is keep on his tail. We must protect him, though. If he is captured, it is no use risking a rescue attempt."

"Yes, that is true." The assassin agreed. "Our time grows short. You must leave now, Mr. Blunt." He stated

Blunt opened the doors of the safehouse and walked toward his Jaguar. Yassen followed him to the door and spoke.

"I'd watch your back from now on, Mr. Blunt. You never know when a bullet might be imbedded in it." Yassen contemplated this thought, then added, "Or perhaps the jaws of a tiger."

With those ominous words, the assassin slammed shut the doors of his house, and Alan drove off into the distance.

* * *

**A/N:And there you have it. Expect chapter three to be up either today, or next week! Review, please. I would like to know what's on your mind**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:Change of plan! Chapter 4 will now either be up today or next week. Enjoy this chapter. And please read important A/N at bottom. Thanks!**

* * *

-Chapter Three-

In Tanzania, where there is no civilization for miles and miles, lies a camp consisting of two facilities. One for the testing of drugs, and another for the housing of its occupants.

Lately, the testing had gone to more extreme levels, being used on young children and teens. Guards littered the area all around, high-paid and deadly accurate.

There was no worry of anyone escaping. All the children had since long given up the hope of escaping or being rescued. But there was always that one exception.

In this case, it was a child who had stabbed a guard with a piece of glass left purposely on the ground. It was Wolfram's sick way of entertaining himself in the dull, lifeless camp. Knowing at least one of the children could not resist the chance of escape; he had a guard deliberately place the shard on the ground.

He had the scientists administer a drug into his body, one that would bring absolute terror coursing through his veins. Then the boy was wounded, stripped of his clothes and thrown out into the wilderness.

The wilderness was stacked with wild beasts of all kinds, some chemically treated to enhance the danger. This was why there was no worry of escape. Astoroth was standing on a platform set high above in the trees, overlooking the clearing the boy was in. Turning to the guard on his right, he made an estimate. "I think this boy will last about five minutes. He is already tired."

The boy, on his part, found a purposely placed dagger to defend himself with. But his legs had been slashed so much that he could barely stand.

There was a growl, to his right. The boy turned quickly, facing a wild dog. It barked, and suddenly charged. The boy shrieked, and sidestepped, slicing along the dogs flank as it flew past him.

The dog yelped, and backed up. It then slowly advanced, backing the boy into a tree, where a squirrel scampered down tree. Bearing its fangs, the squirrel bit down on the boy's finger. He let out a cry of pain and surprise, and his grip on the dagger loosened. The dagger slid down part of the tree trunk, and behind the wild dog.

Astoroth howled with laughter. "This is it!" He exclaimed from his position in the tree. "The damn boy couldn't even make it past the first round!" But as he spoke, the boy sprung into action.

Bracing his left leg against the tree trunk, he used the remaining strength in his left leg to catapult himself over the dog. Rolling on the ground, he picked up the dagger and stabbed it into the eye of the wild dog.

Whimpering, it slunk into the forest.

Wolfram frowned, disappointed at the lack of death. Then he smiles, as a boar found its way into the clearing. Its tusks gleamed in the sunlight, poison dripping from the bottom of them.

Suddenly, it turned toward the boy and charged. The boy was unprepared, and the beast crashed into him. He went flying across the clearing, and landed with a sickening crunch. Both his legs were broken.

Wolfram gripped the rail of the platform as he cackled with delight.

The boar turned around, and almost in slow motion, charged toward the boy with its tusks lowered, ready to gut him.

When it reached him, the boy sliced off a tusk and impaled the boar's thick hide, killing it with its own poison.

Up above, Astoroth growled in frustration. But all movement stopped suddenly when for tigers stalked into the clearing, and raised their heads to roar into the sky. The sound was heard for miles.

The boy wailed as terror completely consumed his mind, his broken legs preventing him from running away. Two tigers leaped forward suddenly, dragging the dead boar off and leaving the clearing to enjoy their prize.

The two tigers left circled his body, their gaze locked on his. They both lurched into action. One clamps down on his foot, while the other drags its teeth down the boy's face leaving half the skull visible.

The boy's screams of pain make Wolfram shiver with delight, and he calls down to the boy.

"Yes! Yes! Scream, little boy. Let your dying cries of pain fill the forest with your hopelessness. I want to hear how terrifying it is to watch yourself being ripped to shreds! Let it be known what happens when someone defies me."

The boy's spasms and screams became weaker as the tigers tore into the flesh of his legs, raking their claws all over his body to draw as much blood as possible.

Astoroth watched with a sick satisfaction as the boy died chocking on his blood, the tigers still tearing his body apart.

Both Wolfram and the tigers left only when the body was stained completely red, and his limbs were torn off.

* * *

Back at the headquarters of MI6, Blunt gives Mrs. Jones some surprising news. He had thought about it, and made a decision. "Mrs. Jones?" Alan said.

"Yes, Mr. Blunt."

"I'm afraid I have some grave news. I feel as though I can no longer make the best decisions required for the position I currently hold. My judgment has been compromised."

What he didn't say was that it was because of the guilt and regrets that have suddenly weighed him down the past four years. He had started to second guess his own decisions.

"Oh?" Mrs. Jones questioned. She knew why he was stepping down; she was just surprised that he would.

"Yes. And getting Alex out of this mess will be my last operation. After this is all over, I will officially give up my title as the head of the British Secret Service."

What he didn't say was that he feared Alex may not survive this operation. He was starting to think that this operation would be the death of Alex Rider. He hoped not, because he wanted badly to do something he should have done in person a while ago. Alan Blunt wanted to apologize.

* * *

**A/N:So, this chapter was a bit graphic. If you think the rating should be changed, review it. Thanks!**


End file.
